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The Revs. Jerry Krueger and Susan Brown, husband and wife, presided
YOUNGSTOWN
When Tasha Prieto and Andre Mason met 10 years ago, he told her one day she’d be his wife.
He wasn’t kidding.
The couple, both 45, was married shortly after 2 p.m. Sunday in the Chapel of the Friendly Bells at Trinity United Methodist Church in downtown Youngstown during the church’s fourth annual St. Valentine’s Day Weddings event.
Tasha, who was given away by her brother, Leo Prieto, said she and Andre met three times over the years before becoming a couple.
“The third time was the charm,” she said.
When asked how Andre popped the question, Tasha said he just came home one day and asked her to marry him.
The Masons were one of two couples who exchanged marriage vows Sunday, both saying they especially wanted to wed on Valentine’s Day.
In Sunday’s second wedding ceremony, Dennis Cuadra and Jennie Marie Malice, of Struthers, who have been a couple for nearly seven years, disagreed on who asked who to get married.
But whomever did the asking, Jennie said she was “ready for this.”
Their children, Shakria Cuadra, 4; Jeremiah Cuadra, 6; and Itza Cuadra, 17, accompanied them along with friends and family. Shakria didn’t want to leave her mom’s side, so Jennie, who was given away by a family friend, William Markovich of Lowellville, held the little girl in her arms during the ceremony.
Presiding over the 15-minute ceremonies were the Rev. Jerry Krueger, pastor of Trinity UMC and Richard Brown UMC, and his wife, the Rev. Susan Brown, pastor of Canfield United Methodist Church.
The pastors said they enjoy the stories of the couples and how they came into each others’ lives and how they, the pastors, get to be part of bringing God into their lives.
The pastors said they also enjoy worshipping together, something they rarely get to do because they both have churches.
The Valentine’s Day weddings are a ministry and outreach to people who might not otherwise be able to afford a church wedding or may not have a church home, the Rev. Mr. Krueger said.
“We love to serve the people and the community in this way,” said Rev. Brown.
People seeking to wed or renew wedding vows are served on a first-come, first-served basis. All couples wishing to marry need is a valid marriage license, picture identification and $50 in cash.
The money is used for mission and outreach to the Good Shepherd Kitchen, a Trinity UMC food ministry, and Canfield Community Care Net. Pastor, churches and volunteers give of their time with no compensation for this special event.
While there were just two weddings Sunday, previous events have attracted numerous couples.
The first year, 2013, seven couples were married and one couple renewed their marriage vows; in 2014, 10 couples were married and two renewed their vows; and in 2015, 16 couples were married and two renewed their vows.